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India: The super-powers arms hustle kills economic development, but it also kills people.

“NEW DELHI — Approximately 18 sailors were feared trapped inside an Indian submarine berthed off Mumbai after an explosion and fire early Wednesday, the country’s navy reported, as divers worked in the waters around the damaged ship trying to craft a rescue. The explosion erupted shortly after midnight local time, leaving the diesel- and electricity-powered submarine mostly submerged at the dock, the navy said in a statement. Grainy social media images showed a huge white-and-yellow fireball illuminating the sky like a premature dawn, followed by a fire that blazed for several hours. The base where the accident took place is a secure area off-limits to reporters. Defense Minister A.K. Antony told reporters in New Delhi that many sailors died in the incident, without providing details. “It is the greatest tragedy of recent times,” he added while en route to Mumbai to oversee the rescue and recovery operation…” –L.A. Times

Not sure why India would need a submarine… After all, their #1 enemy (so they believe) Pakistan, is literally right next door. I say that both India and Pakistan’s # 1 enemy is large impoverished sections of their populations. They also have the huge cost (financial and technical), of maintaining nuclear arsenals; (That’s like Canada and the US believing that they could hurl Nuclear weapons at each other, and the destruction would be restricted to their respective borders!) Both countries could make huge progress by simply cutting their military budgets in half and diverting those funds into energy production, housing, health care and education. And now we have this sad incident; what a tragic waste of human life, financial resources and technical knowledge that could be directed toward the development of the country. The “arms race” between India and Pakistan hinders both countries from creating a more productive economic sector that could lift millions of their suffering citizens out of devastating poverty. It also misdirects Pakistan’s military efforts and attention away from religious (Taliban) extremist both internally, and on their border (Afghanistan). And shame on Russia for engaging in the “super-power” arms hustle (selling antiquated military equipment to “developing countries,” that is always 10 years behind the capabilities of the superpowers.) Truth be told, an old obsolete diesel-powered submarine doesn’t have the stealth capability to sneak up on a row boat; let alone a modern “stealthy” nuclear sub.